Strength. Sue Patton Thoele

Doing It Your Way

       Allowing Bygones to Be Gone

       Aging, a Cumulative Venture

       Coming of Age

       Adapting to the Inevitable and Unavoidable

       Honoring Where You Are

       10 CHOOSING WISELY

       Leaning Toward the Light

       Letting Go of Efforting

       Accepting the Paradox of Perfection

       Caring or Over-Caring?

       Living at Your Own Pace

       Substituting Curiosity

       Adopting Compassionate Nonattachment

       Kicking Butt Constructively

       Noticing Miracles

       Inviting Joy

       11 EMBODYING STRENGTH

       Welcoming the Virgin

       Finding Your Voice

       Thriving

       Giving Without Expectations

       Breathing Gratitude

       Being a Self-Healer

       Knowing You Are Enough

       Treasuring Wisdom

       Replenishing Through Creativity

       Spreading Gentle Kindness

       12 KNOWING YOU ARE NOT ALONE

       Connecting with the Mysterious

       Valuing the Like-Hearted

       Basking in Nature's Reflection

       Filling Up and Overflowing

       Asking for Help

       Cultivating an Inner Advocate

       Practicing Fair Fierceness

       Gaining Strength from Silence and Solitude

       Noticing Angels Everywhere

       Adding Value

       Creating a Grounding Cord

       Hangin' with the Holies

      ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      Surprised and delighted thanks to publisher, Michael Kerber, whose casual question, “Want to write another book?” reignited a fire I thought long cooled. Applause and a thousand thank yous to Greg Brandenburgh whose editorial expertise is exceeded only by his ability to entertain. Thank you, Greg, for insightful guidance and many chuckles. Gobs of gratitude to production editor, Jane Hagaman, whose easy-going and helpful manner is balm to my writer's soul. Equal dollops of respect and gratitude to Chuck Hutchinson for his copyediting finesse and thoughtful comments accompanying changes. To all the talented people at Conari—many of whom I will never know—whose combined skill and energy crafted this beautiful book, please know I am incredibly appreciative of your efforts on Strength's behalf.

      As always, appreciation and gratitude to my husband, Gene, whose encouragement and support helped launch my writing career and keeps the business end of it afloat to this day.

      Everlasting gratitude to the incredible women everywhere whose powerful hearts create a Sisterhood of Strength.

      INTRODUCTION

      The Heart of the Matter

      Women are incredibly strong. Most women are inherently able to overcome whatever life throws at them in order to accomplish what is needed, often under dire circumstances. Along with a woman's ability to be strong is the capacity to do so without sacrificing the feminine qualities of wisdom, compassion, and empathy. Innately, women know how to balance strength with caring and respect. When we act from our hearts, which we often do, our strength is guided by kindness and sensitivity to the needs of both ourselves and others.

      Society desperately needs the tempering and respectful energy of feminine strength. School shootings break our hearts, stories of abused women and children haunt our dreams, and elitist disregard for the feelings and rights of the vulnerable leave us seething. With good reason, our hearts are aching to make things better. Since our empathy and fury run so deeply, what keeps us from acknowledging and acting from our unique strengths? Why are we hesitant to use our gentle yet forceful power?

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